This book is the proceedings of the International Conference on Water Contamination Emergencies: Monitoring, Understanding, Acting held in October 2010.

This book is the proceedings of the International Conference on Water Contamination Emergencies: Monitoring, Understanding, Acting held in October 2010. The fourth in a series of conference proceedings this book develops themes from three previous, highly successful Water Contamination conferences in addition to dealing specifically with four new principle themes: monitoring, understanding, acting and lessons learned. With contributions from leading scientists and experts in academia and industry it offers a truly international perspective on our ability to deal with water contamination emergencies. Emphasis is given to prevention, strategy and unusual emergency incident situations relating to drinking water. The book appeals across the board from public health and environmental professionals to companies, agencies, regulators and experts involved in emergency planning and response.

Preface; Drinking water safety: guidance to health and water professionals - and other health protection issues on water safety; A novel approach for early warning of drinking water contamination events; Detection and identification of microbial contamination; Validation of a water quality monitoring platform in Barcelona drinking water treatment plant; Rapid confirmation of microbiological alerts using off-line molecular methods; Improving quality and saving dollars using real-time online water quality monitoring; Clean data and reliable event detection - turning results from online sensors into information; Is it real or isn't it? Addressing early warning system alarms; Selection and prioritization of substances relevant for intentional drinking water contamination; The need for a joined up approach to the provision, management, security and delivery of alternative drinking water supplies; Communicating with the public about risk; Potable water contamination emergency: - The analytical challenge; Some examples of the operation and benefits of the UK water laboratories' mutual aid scheme; Development of a rapid gross alpha & beta method for the water industry; A Scandinavian emergency for drinking water network contamination: the Nokia case study; Sensors and webservices for land & water management; Graph decomposition as operative tool in hydraulic system analysis - security aspects; Efficacy of free chlorine against water biofilms and spores of Penicillium brevicompactum; Near real time monitoring of E. coli in water